Previously, many types of security safes have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means to protect valuable items such as a firearm and have readily available access at times requiring immediate protection.
The prior art listed below did not disclose patents that possess any of the novelty of the instant invention; however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No.InventorIssue Date4,542,848PetersSep. 24, 19854,768,021FerraroAug. 30, 19884,800,822AdkinsJan. 31, 19895,111,755RouseMay 12, 19925,416,826ButlerMay 16, 19955,701,770Cook et al.Dec. 30, 19976,488,148 B1WoodsonDec. 3, 20027,178,370 B2EngelFeb. 20, 2007
Peters in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,848 teaches a strong box locked by rotating a threaded arm into a thread engaging member within the box. The threaded arm is released by a key which has access to the locking mechanism from outside the box.
Adkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,822 discloses a gun safe having an ejectable drawer with a hinged door connected to the open end of a housing. The drawer is reciprocatingly mounted within the housing and is spring loaded to bear against the closed door such that upon opening the door the ejectable drawer is forced outwardly to present the firearm contained therein for easy grasping.
Butler in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,826 teaches an electronically operated gun safe which has a telephone system with interactive contact with law enforcement with an emergency key word when the safe is opened. The system provides an alarm when the phone line is removed without the key word.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,770 issued to Cook et al. a gun safe having a dual method of gaining access therein. The gun safe has a portable housing with a hinged door on one end with a solenoidal locking mechanism adjacent to the door. A fingerprint scanning mechanism supplies a signal to unlock the locking mechanism when a scanned fingerprint matches one stored in memory.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,148 B1 of Woodson is for a gun securing and storage device which includes a case having a base and a bottom panel with peripheral walls extending upwardly therefrom. A plurality of aligned holes extend through the inner wall into a chamber having the locking means. Trigger guard members align with the trigger guard of the handgun.
Engel in U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,370 B2 discloses a safe with a computer system which permits a loaded firearm to be safely stored inside. The door safe opens silently and uses motive power provided by gravity. Biometric data sorted in the memory of the computer system opens the safe.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited patents issued to Rouse in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,755 and Ferraro in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,021.